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From generation to generation
Brett Caires, a self-made realtor, chef, and winemaker, hails
from the stock of wine connoisseurs. BoaVentura Baptiste de
Caires, Brett’s grandfather
and the winery’s namesake, handed down a passion for relishing good
wine. Brett recalls family meals with his Oakland, California-based grandparents,
where wine was always a staple at the dinner table: “The table was
set with glasses of wine, port, and milk.” To boot, according to family
legend, Brett’s great grandfather, Antonio Caires, was deported
during Prohibition for winemaking after he brought his family
to America. A devotion to his family heritage was a natural inspiration
for Brett to cultivate his own knowledge of winemaking.
Through the influence of family, friends, and fellow winemakers, including
Karl Wente, Noah Taylor, and Bob Taylor, Brett learned about the art of
making wine. On a trip with Karl to Europe in 1997 – through France,
Greece, Portugal, and England – he sampled regional wines, amassing
knowledge that would later help him produce his first Cabernet, made available
to the public in 2002.
On April 29, 1999, Brett realized his dream of owning a winery when he
and his wife, Monique, purchased a five-acre property perched atop a sunny
ridge in the southeast corner of Livermore Valley, California. What was
once part of a 360-acre ranch owned by the Concannon family, and subsequently
a Livermore wine family’s farm stocked with geese, chickens, sheep,
goats, and a donkey, is now home to the Caires vineyard. The century-old
farmhouse is Brett and Monique’s home, and the rustic barn is used
to host tastings, weddings, birthday parties, and family gatherings.
The Caires estate offers spectacular views of rolling hills stretched
out among painted skies, creating the perfect setting for growing the
most delectable yet unpretentious wines California has to offer. Three
microclimates and a diverse terroir, ranging from a low, cold creek bed
to a rocky hillside slope -- replete with an interesting clay and static
soil makeup -- contribute layers of complexity and depth to BoaVentura
wines.
Since the land is well-suited to growing Cabernet grapes, BoaVentura
Winery specializes in Cabernets. Yet, as Caires notes, he also “fell
in love with the Vino Verde white wines while traveling through Spain
and Portugal,” both of which are made from the Albarino grape –
the same grape he used to create BoaVentura’s newly released white
table wine. “It’s really unlike anything we have in the United
States,” he adds.
BoaVentura wines are truly handmade. The grapes are hand-picked by family
and friends, and Brett and Monique take pride in crafting wines that BoaVentura
Baptiste de Caires would be proud of. After all, his spirit is manifested
in the name of the winery, Boa Ventura, or “Good Venture.”
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